Can opener



June 4, 1929.

H. L. VAUGHAN CAN OPENER Filed Aug. 11, 1928 ,6 z g m Q 45 w Patent ed June- 4, .1929.

I'UN'ITEDI STATES'PAENI OFFlCE.

"HARRY L. VAUGHAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ASSIGNOR TO VAUGHAN NOVELTY MFG. 00., OF CHICAGO; ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

can OPENER.

Application filed August 11, 1928, Serial No. 298,931.

1 This invention relates to improvements in can openers, and more especially tothe combination with can openers of an approved,

and extensi ely used style, of added features calculated to increase its usefulness.

I Accordingly, one of the objects of the invention is to provide a guard to protect the hand in which the opener is held, and more especially the thumb thereof, against cutting by the sharp jagged edgesof the'tin, in opening a can. Another object is to provide an additional tool 'in the form of an openerlfor friction-top containers having a shouldered or flanged top or cover intended r to be removed by inserting a blunt edge under the marginal flange of the cover and prying upwardly at several points about the e ge.

which opener showing the guard and friction-top opener applied thereto, the latter being in open position.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of a modified arrangement wherein the guard and friction-top opener are combined in a single piece, and' fFigure 3 is a perspective view of the end 0 opener as an integral part thereof.

The type of can opener to which the improvements are particularly applicable is one having a short pointed blade or knife 1 fixed to a handle 2, having a projection 3 spaced from the sharpened edge of the blade. This style of can opener is manipulated by initially forcing the point of the blade through the can top near its edge and thence creeping around the edge with short cutting strokes,'using the forward edge of the projection 3 as a fulcrum.

The can opener herein disclosed is preferably an all-metal style, in which the handle 2 and projection 3 are made in one piece,

' namely, of a single flat bar of metal shaped and bent to provide an open handle square at its outer end and tapering at its forward,

end where the two portions of the metal bar come together to form a narrow neck or shank portion 4 between the handle and projection 3. The projection 3 has the form of a loop with a square forward end. The blade 1 is secured at the shank 4, having a In the drawings, a preferred. embodiment of the 1mproved can opener is shown in the opener, showing the friction-top thence forwardly beyond the projection 3, 1

with its-cutting edge 1 parallel with and spaced from the under side of said projection,'the forward edge of the latter being notched at 3 to grip the edge of the can to prevent the opener from slipping. Integral with the blade l and projecting from the opposite side of the shank portion 4 is a hooklike blade 7, facing forwardly and. coacting with the upper edge of the projection 3 to form an opener for bottles having crown seals or caps.

Just behind the blade and pivotally mounted in a narrow space opening into the Wider space forming the handle'is a corkscrew 8, its inner end being'bent around a rivet 9 acting as a fulcrum. The corkscrew normally lies within the space in the handle and is swung outwardly at right angles to the handle for use. Fixed to the shank portion 4, near its junction with the handle, is the thumb guard 10. This member is a metal stamping consisting of a flat bottom wall 10 tapering toward its front end and having an upturned flange 1O along its outer edge, the forward portion of the flange being approximately of an inch in height and rounded, falling off to of an inch at the sides. Along the inneredge 0f the guard is an car 11, bent at right angles to the bottom wall, in flatwise contact with the side of the shank portion 4. Through this ear" extends the end of the rivet 9 which also serves, as the bearing for the corkscrew. The ear is of such a height that when it is fastened in place with its top edge flush with the-edge of the shank, the bottom wall of the guard is ofisetat least of an inch below the bottom .edge of the shank and substantially in alignthe right hand fits into the pocket formed between the flanged edges of the guard and the side of the shank 4, thus being protected from contact with jagged edges of the can which pass beneath the guard as the cutting proceeds. In this manner the thumb andfingers .which otherwise are liable to be cut, should the opener slip, are protected.

' he fri ,tion-top removing tool is ,preferably mounted at the rear or free end of the.

handle and consisting of a short, stout blade 12, tapering to a blunt edge of about A of an inch in 'width, and turned upwardly with a slight reversed bend at 12 just inwardly therefrom to afford the necessary leverage when prying offthe cover. v

The blade is approximately 1 inch in length, and at its rear end is a V-shaped bend 12", there being laterally projecting ears 13,

13 at the extreme ends of the blade which has pivotal connection with the handle inwardly the handle. When not in use the blade is closed by turning it over and, forcing it into the space in the handle overlying-the corkscrew, the'sides of the handle being slightly sprung to hold the blade in place, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. a

As a practical modification of the features 'hereinbefore disclosed and as a possible expedient for combining the guard and frictiontop removing tool, Figure 2 shows the bottom wall of the guardextended rearwardly and outwardly in a tapered projection 15,'having an end portion similar in all respects to that of the blade 12 pivotally mounted at the rear end of the handle. v v

d 3 of the' opener.

forth the preferred arrange- I 1 Figure 3 showsa further modification the friction-top opener blade lfi 1s whic formed integral with the forward projection Having set ment of a can opener embodying the features of my invention,

-1 claim:

1. ,A can opener comprising a handle, a cutting blade at the forward end of said handle, and a guard fixed to said handle rearwardly of said blade and consisting of a plate projecting laterallyfrom the handle and prov v1ded with a forward marginal guard flange.

2 A. can opener comprising a handle, a cutting blade at the forward endof said handie, and a guard fixed to said handle rearwardly of said blade. and consisting of a metal plate extending laterally froin-said handle andtapered towardits forward end,

the edges of said plate being bent upwardly to form a guard flange at the front and sides of sald plate.

3. A can opener comprising a handle, a cutting blade at the forward end 'of said handle,- and a guard fixed to said handle rea'rwardly of said blade and consisting, of'a metal plate extending laterally from said handle and tapered toward its forward end,:the edges of said plate being bent upwardly to form a relatively high guard. flange at the forward edge of the plate tapering to a lower flange along the outer side edge thereof.

Signed at Chicago, 111,, this 6th day of:

August, 1928. a r HARRY L. VAUGHAN. 

